Choosing Growth and Freedom

Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Terezin concentration camp (Theresienstadt) authored 39 books. He dictated to a team of assistants “Man’s Search for Meaning” over a 9-day period. His life and writings have inspired countless throughout the years. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lie our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl We each find ourselves between stimulus and response. We live in that “space.” We find ourselves in the “space” between many forms of stimulus. “The stimulus” could be relationship struggles, health challenges, the countless aspects of the pandemic, the nation’s economic situation, racial tensions, protests, riots, political wrangling and division. What will our “response” be to the “stimulus?” That “space” is where I have the God given power to choose my response. My response carries with it the nucleus of growth and freedom. When the people of God that Joshua led were in the “space” between survival and destruction, he challenged the crowd. “So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols …Serve the LORD alone… as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15 NLT) In the “space” they could throw away their idols and serve God or continue to serve their idols. What is the “stimulus” bearing down on you? What “response” are you considering? The “space” is where you have power to choose growth and freedom or shrinkage and bondage. Jesus always wants his followers to choose growth and freedom. Exercise your power to choose. Choose growth and freedom!

The Mission of Reconciliation

Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul described what societies and the world would look like when people continue to walk away from God, God’s revealed character in nature and God’s spoken revelation through the prophets and New Testament writers. If someone didn’t know where this sketch of humans in rebellion against God came from, they could assume that the picture was written last week. The characteristics described describe life in the western world. “Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1–4 ESV) It is into that environment that God has called his church (you and me) to engage in the mission of reconciliation. There is no greater opportunity and privilege in life than working towards reconciling rebellious people to God! “God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NIV) Pray for those in your life circles who need reconciled to God. We live in tough times. Every sign is that life will get more difficult in the weeks, months and even years ahead. Do not surrender to fear. Surrender your fear to God. Pray and work to see as many people as possible reconciled to God through Jesus.

Do Everything without Grumbling and Arguing

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi about not grumbling and arguing. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Philippians 2:14-16 NIV) What is grumbling and arguing? When does addressing issues in a relationship, in a job, a church, a community, or nation become grumbling and arguing? Grumbling and arguing is pointing out faults, problems, and obstacles without offering and working towards a solution. It is easy to point out faults, problems, and obstacles -- it is more difficult to suggest and seek solutions. People are grumbling and arguing in every stratum of society. People’s standard of living, their level of education, their faith background, or their political leanings, seem to be irrelevant. They all grumble and complain! They grumble and argue about COVID-19, BLM, the environment, the economic situation and outlook, and the fiscal policies thrust upon them. This grumbling and arguing are testing social structures and revealing the cracks at every level. Couples see the other person as a foe. Instead of working together to determine how they are going to get their boat through the rapids, they fight each other with the paddles. Children grumble and argue with parents and vice versa. Politicians and political parties grumble and argue, when they could collectively seek solutions that benefit the whole. They stonewall and blame each other, ignoring tested social structures. They are tasked with building a bridge to lasting change and solutions, but instead they grumble and argue about the bridge that is crumbling. What did Paul say? “Do everything.” Everything is a big word! It is only 10 letters but encompasses all of life. Everything means everything. Where does “do everything without grumbling and arguing” start? With me! With you! With us! With Jesus' followers! Jesus wants US to be the ones shining in our society like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the word of life.

Learning to Live in the Awkward Silence

I have been reading about a practice that fleshes out for me, one directive given by Jesus’ brother James. James wrote: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19 NIV) James might have heard Jesus teach about being quick to listen and slow to speak. He was probably aware of the words of Solomon in his collection of Proverbs. Solomon wrote: “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” (Proverbs 17:28 ESV) “The Rule of Awkward Silence” is the practice that I’ve been reading about. The Rule of Awkward Silence or being “quick to listen, slow to speak” requires time. Too often in the rush to feed “instant gratification” we waste time giving answers that are incomplete, shallow, not thought through, and not helpful. But we swim in the pool of instant gratification. Everyone is looking for Immediate responses. People expect an answer to their email the same day, and they expect texts answered immediately. The person who texted is likely looking for the “ellipsis” showing that a response is being typed. (What about when the “ellipsis” goes away? It’s as if the other person started responding and then changed their mind…what’s up with that?!) People don’t connect the dots of life well when they don’t think critically. Critical thinking involves pondering, studying, and analyzing. Critical, deep, reflective thinking requires time. Time to consider subjects, ideas, and concepts. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Proverbs 18:2 ESV) I’m trying to slow down and think. I’m trying to understand. I don’t want to be the “fool” who is only concerned with “expressing his opinion.” Silence can be awkward. I’m trying to learn to live in the awkwardness of silence so I can learn, understand, and think.